A Six Nations weekend in Dublin has always been something special but now with an Ireland team ranked as the best in the world, the rugby side are starting to live up to the standing of the city.
Supporters and tourists now know that when they head down to Lansdowne Road to the Aviva Stadium that they are not only set to witness one of the best atmospheres the sport of rugby union has to offer but one of the best teams on the planet.
Ireland Living Up To Their Billing
There was plenty of excitement about Ireland going into the 2023 Six Nations and what they could achieve under head coach Andy Farrell. Beating Wales, Italy, France and Scotland in their opening four games, a Six Nations victory was priced at 1/33 in a bet on Six Nations before the final test against England. The Red Rose suffered a record home defeat to France at Twickenham in the build-up to their trip to an Ireland side that had come away from Murrayfield with a valuable win over the Scots. Ireland saw a number of forwards taken off injured in the first half in Edinburgh but the side showed real composure to hold their nerve and come away with an impressive 22-7 victory.
Heading back to Dublin for a post-St Patrick’s Day clash against England, with a Grand Slam for Ireland on the line, is the stuff of dreams for supporters in Dublin. The chance to claim a Grand Slam in such circumstances does not come around often and Ireland will be hoping to make the most of the opportunity at the Aviva.
Ireland Have Come A Long Way
From a team that struggled through the late 1980s and 90s, the Ireland team of today seems unrecognisable from those days. Impressing under former coach Joe Schmidt, many wondered if there would be a dip in results after the New Zealander parted company with the national side in 2019. However, the team seems to have reached new heights with Farrell taking over, as they have climbed to the top of the world rankings.
The Aviva Stadium has become arguably the toughest place for opposition teams to go to in world rugby. With a passionate crowd behind them, this Irish side are at the top of their game and will have high hopes for what they might be able to achieve at the World Cup in France later this year. Ireland have underperformed at the major competition in the past, having never reached the semi-final stage of the tournament. However, with a team on the up and Farrell getting the best out of them, there is anticipation on what this Ireland side can achieve in France this year.
No team reaches the top of the world rankings without good cause and now supporters know that when they head to Dublin on a rugby weekend, they will witness a side that lives up to the city’s vibrancy.
